Extra Credit Questions

[Joe Di Cola]

Sure thing, Joe, but can I read today's New York Times first?

Best
Rob

Of course, that's what I just finished doing. The first puzzle is a puzzler--the acrostic was easier this week.

[Rob Wick]

It takes people much smarter than me to do the puzzles. I stick with the news, although I always like to read the wedding announcements for some odd reason. I guess I like reading about how people who have more money then I ever will think its important to put their nuptials in print like that.

Best
Rob

[Joe Di Cola]

It takes people much smarter than me to do the puzzles. I stick with the news, although I always like to read the wedding announcements for some odd reason. I guess I like reading about how people who have more money then I ever will think its important to put their nuptials in print like that.

Best
Rob

Perhaps they have more money than brains (a saying of one of my late cousins). Not only that, but that section is printed almost on card stock! What's with that. Do we want archaeologists only finding that section of the NYT in the digs of the 25th century?!

Joe

[Rsmyth]

My favorite, favorite section is the book review followed closely by the travel and entertainment section. Of course I read the news too.

[LincolnMan]

U. S. Grant was sick and dying. His throat cancer was so bad he couldn't speak anymore-he communicated by writing when others in his presence. To make matters worse, he had lost his wealth-even to the point of selling articles from his military career-swords and such. Someone suggested to him that he should write his memoirs-as a book of such would bring him much needed income (and for his family). Who was that "someone?"

[Rogerm]

That someone was Mark Twain, the eventual publisher of Grant's memoirs.

[rbrugler]

You are correct, Roger. They first met in Cincinnati. It was an 1855 case involving McCormick vs. Manny.

And Mr. Stanton was less than hospitable to Abraham.

[LincolnMan]

Great answer! Mark Twain, indeed, was that "someone."

[LincolnMan]

And speaking of U.S. Grant, I am planning on taking a short trip this morning to the former Michigan State Fairgrounds to see if I can get close enough to U.S. Grant's former residence (located on the grounds) to take a picture. Here is a trivia question, in the meantime : U.S. Grant brought a lawsuit against a prominent citizen of Detroit-who later became a leading Radical Republican-who was that defendant?

[RJNorton]

Zachariah Chandler?

[LincolnMan]

Roger: you got it! Grant was stationed in Detroit at Fort Wayne. The lawsuit was over Chandler not having his sidewalk cleared of snow and ice. Grant had taken a fall-and other soldiers had slipped also. Grant won the battle. Interestingly enough, the matter between the two was never brought up again. In fact, Chandler later worked for Grant-while he was President.

[Joe Di Cola]

Roger: you got it! Grant was stationed in Detroit at Fort Wayne. The lawsuit was over Chandler not having his sidewalk cleared of snow and ice. Grant had taken a fall-and other soldiers had slipped also. Grant won the battle. Interestingly enough, the matter between the two was never brought up again. In fact, Chandler later worked for Grant-while he was President.

Bill,

I am reading H.W. Brands "The Man Who Saved the Union", a bio of USG. I highly recommend it; Brands is one of the foremost biographers around.
I am taking guests off to Springfield, IL to show them Lincoln sites, including stuff few if any tourists ever see. Have a great trip to Michigan.

Joe

[LincolnMan]

Joe: I believe that author also covered Andrew Jackson-which I also enjoyed a lot. Thanks for the tip.

[Joe Di Cola]

Joe: I believe that author also covered Andrew Jackson-which I also enjoyed a lot. Thanks for the tip.

His plan is to have 6 bios that also tell something of US history--although published NOT in chronological order the chronology is: Franklin, Jackson, Grant, TR, FDR (all of these have been great) and I am guessing that the 6th will be Nixon--achievements like title IX, environmental initiatives, China, and Nixon's personality disorder + watergate make for a significant bit of history.

Joe

[LincolnMan]

Well, everyone-I made a visit to the U.S. Grant house in Detroit. It sits boarded up on the now defunct Michigan State Fair grounds. It was sad to it the neglect. The public is not allowed inside the grounds so I had to take a couple of pictures from outside the fence at the rear of the house. How sad that this historical legacy is left to crumble. See: http://abesblogcabin.org/a-sad-visit-by-...in-detroit